Aqua has seen a great many odd things in the years since she left home. So she was fairly certain that something more than there being many birds was actually happening here. She thought she was prepared for anything. As it turned out... she was wrong. Touching a feather led her to learn just how wrong she was.
But Aqua noticed none of this, nor the younger version of herself behind where current Aqua stood. All she noticed all she had eyes for...
was the man who stood with his back to her, looking out across the distance. But he smiled. "Aqua, is that you?" he asked, turning to glance back.
"Master!" Hr voice cracked and she ran toward shim, leaping to tackle hug the man who was all the parent she ever had. Ever wanted. Ever needed. Tears were in her eyes.
Tears of a different sort as she fell through him and landed hard on the grass beyond. She turned to see what had happened, rubbing her abraded face, eyes watering now from impact. Hr face was dirty and if not for healing magic she'd be in for some nasty bruises. She had thrown herself with full trust that he'd catch her. But now... Now seeing her past self, seeing him looking at that past self she understood why h didn't. Why he couldn't have. He wasn't truly here. The her he saw.. Wasn't the her she was now. She couldn't have him back. All she could do was watch.
Still, it was more than she'd had in years, and she drank in the sight of him, the soothing sound of his voice.
The younger Aqua hesitated just a moment then strode forward. "Master."
He chuckled. "I know who I am, but what troubles you, Aqua? I am surprised to see you out here."
She gave a weak smile but nodded and gave him a hug. When he tucked an arm around her shoulders, she let him. "Terra is watching him, Master Eraqus. But..."
"But?" he asked kindly.
"I'm afraid."
"Are you out here because you are afraid?"
She shook her head, considered, then nodded. "I did not run away from my fear," she said finally. "But I cam out here to find you, to talk to you, because of my fear."
"I see. And I think I can guess at the fear. Or would I be mistaken?"
She looked shocked and scandalized at the thought he could ever be wrong. Her expression made him laugh.
She shook her head. "You... You wouldn't be wrong. Master... He will wake up, won't he? Ventus?"
"With our hearts calling to his, it would be very difficult for him to not, I suspect. He will awaken soon, I am sure. And then he can join you both in your training."
She gave him a smile and nodded. "I won't let him fall behind."
Eraqus laughed. "I will take care of him, young Aqua, never fear. You look to your own training. It won't be long before you are ready to take your Mark Of Mastery exam. And once you are a Master you'll have plenty of students to fuss and worry over."
"And to love..." She whispered.
"And to love," he agreed. "Just as I love you and Terra as though you were my own children. And I could not be prouder of you two."
"And... Ventus?"
"Will be Ventus. We will know his heart soon enough. But I suspect I know yours now. You wish to return to his side?"
"You said our hearts reaching for him will be the Light that guides him. Though sometimes I think it would take a miracle."
Another chuckle as he kissed her hair. "And what exactly do you think a heart is, my child? Or the connection between hearts?"
She gave him a bright smile and nodded before ducking out from under his arm. She started to dash for the castle but skidded to a stop, turned. She summoned her Keyblade, crossed it over hr chest and bowed. Then she turned once more and ran inside.
Eraqus watched her go, love and pride in his face.
"Master," she whispered as the memory scene faded. She rested a hand over her own heart. "A miracle indeed..."
Aqua | OTA | Warning for KH and 1d10 emotional damage. Part 1
Aqua has seen a great many odd things in the years since she left home. So she was fairly certain that something more than there being many birds was actually happening here. She thought she was prepared for anything. As it turned out... she was wrong. Touching a feather led her to learn just how wrong she was.
The memory shimmered into place. A courtyard before an impossible seeming castle.
But Aqua noticed none of this, nor the younger version of herself behind where current Aqua stood. All she noticed all she had eyes for...
was the man who stood with his back to her, looking out across the distance. But he smiled. "Aqua, is that you?" he asked, turning to glance back.
"Master!" Hr voice cracked and she ran toward shim, leaping to tackle hug the man who was all the parent she ever had. Ever wanted. Ever needed. Tears were in her eyes.
Tears of a different sort as she fell through him and landed hard on the grass beyond. She turned to see what had happened, rubbing her abraded face, eyes watering now from impact. Hr face was dirty and if not for healing magic she'd be in for some nasty bruises. She had thrown herself with full trust that he'd catch her. But now... Now seeing her past self, seeing him looking at that past self she understood why h didn't. Why he couldn't have. He wasn't truly here. The her he saw.. Wasn't the her she was now. She couldn't have him back. All she could do was watch.
Still, it was more than she'd had in years, and she drank in the sight of him, the soothing sound of his voice.
The younger Aqua hesitated just a moment then strode forward. "Master."
He chuckled. "I know who I am, but what troubles you, Aqua? I am surprised to see you out here."
She gave a weak smile but nodded and gave him a hug. When he tucked an arm around her shoulders, she let him. "Terra is watching him, Master Eraqus. But..."
"But?" he asked kindly.
"I'm afraid."
"Are you out here because you are afraid?"
She shook her head, considered, then nodded. "I did not run away from my fear," she said finally. "But I cam out here to find you, to talk to you, because of my fear."
"I see. And I think I can guess at the fear. Or would I be mistaken?"
She looked shocked and scandalized at the thought he could ever be wrong. Her expression made him laugh.
She shook her head. "You... You wouldn't be wrong. Master... He will wake up, won't he? Ventus?"
"With our hearts calling to his, it would be very difficult for him to not, I suspect. He will awaken soon, I am sure. And then he can join you both in your training."
She gave him a smile and nodded. "I won't let him fall behind."
Eraqus laughed. "I will take care of him, young Aqua, never fear. You look to your own training. It won't be long before you are ready to take your Mark Of Mastery exam. And once you are a Master you'll have plenty of students to fuss and worry over."
"And to love..." She whispered.
"And to love," he agreed. "Just as I love you and Terra as though you were my own children. And I could not be prouder of you two."
"And... Ventus?"
"Will be Ventus. We will know his heart soon enough. But I suspect I know yours now. You wish to return to his side?"
"You said our hearts reaching for him will be the Light that guides him. Though sometimes I think it would take a miracle."
Another chuckle as he kissed her hair. "And what exactly do you think a heart is, my child? Or the connection between hearts?"
She gave him a bright smile and nodded before ducking out from under his arm. She started to dash for the castle but skidded to a stop, turned. She summoned her Keyblade, crossed it over hr chest and bowed. Then she turned once more and ran inside.
Eraqus watched her go, love and pride in his face.
"Master," she whispered as the memory scene faded. She rested a hand over her own heart. "A miracle indeed..."